Bayonet plug

ABSTRACT

An easily insertable and removable plug fitted to the barrel attachment hole to transform a bayonet knife into an efficient fighting knife that a Marine or Army soldier can use. This combined bayonet knife and plug within its barrel attachment hole provides for the protection afforded by standard fighting knife guards, that is, a forward guard for the thumb. When used as a fighting hand-held knife, the plug can be inserted into the barrel attachment hole from the handle side and if the bayonet needs to be placed back on the rifle, the plug can be popped out of the hole from the knife blade side of the barrel attachment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to use of a bayonet knife typically used with military rifles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the basic attributes of a fighting knife is a proper guard, which serves multiple purposes. Examples are that the guard provides an adequate rest for the thumb and serves to protect the thumb and hand against uncommon slashes.

Military style bayonet knives typically have a large hole instead of a forward guard. This configuration does not provide an adequate guard. When used in a forward grip position, the thumb slides into the barrel attachment (hole), wherein the barrel attachment does not provide protection or a platform for the thumb to thrust. The thumb is also exposed to slashes and counter-slashes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

What is needed is an easily insertable and removable plug fitted to the barrel attachment hole to transform the bayonet knife into an efficient fighting knife that a Marine or Army soldier can use which further provides for the protection afforded by standard fighting knife guards.

When used as a fighting hand-held knife, the plug can be inserted into the barrel attachment hole from the handle side and if the bayonet needs to be placed back on the rifle, the plug can be taken out of the hole from the knife blade side of the barrel attachment. If the plug is inserted by a compressed fit because of flexible rubberized or elastomeric material used, it is also easy to pop it out when the knife is to be reattached to the associated rifle for use as a rifle bayonet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a prior art depiction of a regular knife with thumb rest;

FIG. 2 is a side view depiction of a typical bayonet knife;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention for use in a bayonet knife;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention placed within the barrel attachment hole; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a standard prior art non-bayonet knife 20 with a thumb rest against which the thumb is placed.

FIG. 2 depicts a standard bayonet knife 14 without the present invention wherein it can be seen that a users thumb and hand can be severely injured during hand to hand combat.

FIGS. 2-5 disclose an example of the present invention, which is a bayonet knife plug, depicted generally as 10.

The plug 10 is formed to fit within a barrel attachment hole 12 of a rifle bayonet knife 14. It is sized to be inserted within the barrel attachment hole 12 and to maintain its position within the barrel attachment hole 12 while the rifle bayonet knife 14 is used as a hand-held fighting knife. It is easily insertable by snapping the plug 10 within the hole 12. The flexible material from which the plug 10 is made (described below) facilitates a compressed friction fit within the hole 10. The plug 10 can further be removed by popping it out from the opposite side from which it was inserted. The military style rifle to which a bayonet would be typically attached is not shown in the drawings as it is understood that the barrel of such a rifle inserted within the barrel attachment hole 12 when the bayonet 14 is attached to the rifle itself.

The plug 10 is generally round and has a first portion 10 a that has a first portion diameter sized to be larger than a hole diameter of said barrel attachment hole 12. This diameter typically runs between 1 inch and 1 ⅞ inches, depending on the bayonet model. The first portion 10 a is typically made from a generally rigid material which engages in a face to face relationship with an outer surface of the barrel attachment perimeter surface 16 a. The first portion 10 a preferably has a roughened or slip resistant surface 10 d upon which the end of the user's thumb can engage. As shown in FIG. by way of example only, this can be provided with a knurled pattern or similar pattern.

The plug 10 further has a second portion 10 c spaced-apart from the first portion 10 a and an intermediate portion 10 b. The intermediate portion 10 b is integral on one side to the first portion 10 a and integral on the opposite side to the second portion 10 c. The second portion 10 c is made from a flexible material and has a second portion diameter sized to be slightly larger than the hole diameter of said barrel attachment hole 12. The slightly larger diameter will keep the plug 10 engaged within the barrel attachment hole 12 so that it will not fall out after its insertion. The intermediate portion 10 b typically has a thickness approximating that of a depth 16 b of the barrel attachment hole 12 and a diameter sized to fit within barrel attachment hole 12.

The first portion 10 a can be made from a variety of materials such as plastic material, polymeric material, hard rubber material or even metal material. Preferably, the intermediate portion 10 b and the second portion 10 c can be made from a flexible elastomeric material. However, the intermediate portion 10 b certainly can be made from a variety of material as well such as plastic material, polymeric material, hard rubber material, flexible elastomeric material or even metal material. It is understood that the second portion 10 c should be made from a rubberized or otherwise elastomer material to facilitate the plug's insertion and popping out of the barrel attachment hole 12.

It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of one or more embodiments of this invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A bayonet knife plug comprising: a plug formed to fit within a barrel attachment hole of a rifle bayonet knife, said plug being sized to be inserted within said barrel attachment hole and to maintain its position within said barrel attachment hole while said rifle bayonet knife is used as a hand-held fighting knife, and said plug further being removable from said barrel attachment hole.
 2. The bayonet knife plug according to claim 1, wherein said plug is generally round and has a first portion that has a first portion diameter sized to be larger than a hole diameter of said barrel attachment hole, said first portion being made from a generally rigid material which engages in a face to face relationship with an outer surface of said barrel attachment perimeter surface; said plug further having a second portion spaced-apart from said first portion and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion being integral on one side to said first portion and integral on an opposite side to said second portion, said second portion being made from a flexible material and having a second portion diameter sized to be slightly larger than said hole diameter of said barrel attachment hole, and said intermediate portion having a thickness proximating that of a depth of said barrel attachment hole and a diameter sized to fit within barrel attachment hole.
 3. The bayonet knife plug according to claim 2, wherein said first portion is made from material selected from the group consisting of plastic material, polymeric material, hard rubber material and metal material.
 4. The bayonet knife plug according to claim 2, wherein said intermediate portion and said second portion are made from a flexible elastomeric material.
 5. The bayonet knife plug according to claim 2, wherein said intermediate portion is made from material selected from the group consisting of plastic material, polymeric material, hard rubber material, flexible elastomeric material and metal material. 